Recently I did a little test. During the viewing of a movie, I pulled out the good ol’ RS analog meter and set it up at the listening position. I then cranked up the volume on the 950 so that the SPL was swinging just past +116 dB during heavy explosive rumbling. Granted, most of that SPL was coming from the subs, but it was in balance with the rest of the audio spectrum. I then stopped the DVD and selected a non-digital source. I approached the right front speaker ear first and noted that the point at which I could discern hiss was less than twelve inches from a tweeter.

remark – I think that if I had used enough gain to make the hiss audible at my listening position and then began playback of program material, I would have to report: “I hear a high pitched ringing at my listening position, even when my HT gear is powered down completely!”